World news photos: Dramatic dog rescue, your oldest relative and more

By By JAKE ELLISON

on December 15, 2013 12:33 PM

Photo: Jason Clark/AP

Image 1of/48

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 48

This undated image provided by Cascadia Research shows researchers tagging a blue whale off the coast of Southern California. Two recent studies off Southern California found certain endangered blue whales and beaked whales stopped feeding and fled from recordings of noise similar to military sonar. less

This undated image provided by Cascadia Research shows researchers tagging a blue whale off the coast of Southern California. Two recent studies off Southern California found certain endangered blue whales and ... more

This undated image provided by the SOCAL-BRS project shows a researcher tagging a blue whale off the coast of Southern California. Two recent studies off Southern California found certain endangered blue whales and beaked whales stopped feeding and fled from recordings of noise similar to military sonar. less

This undated image provided by the SOCAL-BRS project shows a researcher tagging a blue whale off the coast of Southern California. Two recent studies off Southern California found certain endangered blue whales ... more

Law enforcement officers search through the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the home Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in Rockville, Utah. less

Law enforcement officers search through the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the home Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in ... more

Photo: Jud Burkett / The Spectrum & Daily News, AP

Law enforcement officers search through the rubble of a two-story... Photo-5602133.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 4 of 48

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the home Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in Rockville, Utah. less

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the ... more

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the home Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in Rockville, Utah. less

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the ... more

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the home Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in Rockville, Utah. less

Flood lights from fire engines parked on nearby state Route 9 shine on the rubble of a two-story log home that was crushed by boulders that broke loose from the cliff above it and killed two people inside the ... more

This handout photo provided by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Arctic sea ice earlier this year. Scientists spent three weeks in the region analyzing conditions, as recent reductions in sea ice extent in the autumn months impacts weather patterns regionally and perhaps farther afield. The Arctic took a bit of a break from its rapid melting this year. But a federal Arctic report card says global warming is still massively altering the top of the world, reducing the number of reindeer, shrinking snow and ice and yet increasing certain fish and the growing season. less

This handout photo provided by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Arctic sea ice earlier this year. Scientists spent three weeks in the region analyzing conditions, as recent ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This handout photo provided by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric... Photo-5602147.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 8 of 48

A Palestinian walks on snow to reach their homes in the West Bank city of Nablus, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. The Gaza Strip received its first shipment of industrial fuel in 45 days Sunday. A lack of fuel has hampered rescue efforts in Gaza, where thousands of residents fled flooded homes. The storm let up Saturday, but authorities in the region still struggled to clear roads and repair downed power lines. less

A Palestinian walks on snow to reach their homes in the West Bank city of Nablus, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. The Gaza Strip received its first shipment of industrial fuel in 45 days Sunday. A lack of fuel has ... more

Photo: Nasser Ishtayeh, AP

A Palestinian walks on snow to reach their homes in the West Bank... Photo-5602148.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 9 of 48

FOMAC troops, regional peacekeepers, evacuate Muslim clerics under a hail of fire from the St Jacques Church in Bangui, Central African Republic, Thursday Dec. 12, 2013. An angry crowd had gathered outside the church following rumors that a Seleka general was inside. More than 500 people have been killed over the past week in sectarian fighting in Central African Republic. less

FOMAC troops, regional peacekeepers, evacuate Muslim clerics under a hail of fire from the St Jacques Church in Bangui, Central African Republic, Thursday Dec. 12, 2013. An angry crowd had gathered outside the ... more

Deputy Aaron Gilman of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office photographs the mangled wreckage of a Hyundai following a one-vehicle crash Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, near off Old Ind. 25 near Lafayette, Ind. It took firefighters nearly two hours to free a man from the car that was wrapped around a tree in a ravine. The man was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital. less

Deputy Aaron Gilman of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office photographs the mangled wreckage of a Hyundai following a one-vehicle crash Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, near off Old Ind. 25 near Lafayette, Ind. It ... more

Bangladeshi men try to douse burning vehicles after they were set on fire by activists of Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, following the execution of their party leader Abdul Quader Mollah in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. The execution of the opposition leader in Bangladesh sparked violent protests Friday as activists torched homes and businesses belonging to government supporters, leaving at least three people dead, in a fresh wave of bloodshed ahead of elections next month. less

Bangladeshi men try to douse burning vehicles after they were set on fire by activists of Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, following the execution of their party leader Abdul Quader Mollah in Dhaka, Bangladesh, ... more

Photo: Suvra Kanti Das, AP

Bangladeshi men try to douse burning vehicles after they were set... Photo-5602145.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 12 of 48

Bangladeshi businessmen and others carry white flags as they march calling for peace in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. Many of their businesses suffered because of a string of general strikes and blockades enforced by the opposition in recent months. Police opened fire Sunday to try to stop rampaging activists of an Islamist party who were protesting the execution of one of its leaders, leaving at least three people dead and wounding scores, a doctor said. less

Bangladeshi businessmen and others carry white flags as they march calling for peace in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. Many of their businesses suffered because of a string of general strikes and ... more

This image provided by NASA and taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Nov. 28, 2013, shows the sun, but no sign of comet ISON. During a meeting of the American Geophysical Union meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, scientists said the comet broke apart on Thanksgiving after coming close to the sun. less

This image provided by NASA and taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Nov. 28, 2013, shows the sun, but no sign of comet ISON. During a meeting of the American Geophysical Union meeting on Tuesday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This image provided by NASA and taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics... Photo-5602137.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 14 of 48

This undated image provided by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah shows one of four bald eagle that was brought into the center, but eventually died. They each had symptoms: body tremors and paralysis. Four bald eagles have died in northern Utah in the past two weeks, raising alarms among state wildlife officials. less

This undated image provided by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah shows one of four bald eagle that was brought into the center, but eventually died. They each had symptoms: body tremors and ... more

This undated image provided by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah shows one of four bald eagle that was brought into the center, but eventually died. They each had similar symptoms: body tremors and paralysis. Four bald eagles have died in northern Utah in the past two weeks, raising alarms among state wildlife officials. less

This undated image provided by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah shows one of four bald eagle that was brought into the center, but eventually died. They each had similar symptoms: body ... more

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe Chang'e-3 and made off the screen of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, China's first moon rover "Jade Rabbit" touches the lunar surface Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. "Jade Rabbit" touched down on the moon and left deep traces on its loose soil, state media reported Sunday, several hours after the country successfully carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades. (AP Photo/Xinhua) less

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe Chang'e-3 and made off the screen of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, China's first moon rover "Jade Rabbit" touches the lunar ... more

Photo: AP

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe... Photo-5602141.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 17 of 48

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe Chang'e-3 and made off the screen of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, China's first moon rover 'Yutu' - or Jade Rabbit - is on the lunar surface in the area known as Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows) Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. Yutu touched down on the moon and left deep traces on its loose soil, state media reported Sunday, several hours after the country successfully carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades. (AP Photo / Xinhua) less

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe Chang'e-3 and made off the screen of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, China's first moon rover 'Yutu' - or Jade Rabbit - is on the ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

In this image taken by the on-board camera of the lunar probe... Photo-5602149.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 18 of 48

In this image made off the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, is the Chang'e-3 moon lander, taken by the camera on the 'Yutu' (Jade Rabbit) moon rover, during the mutual-photograph process in the area known as Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows), Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. Yutu touched down on the moon and left deep traces on its loose soil, state media reported Sunday, several hours after the country successfully carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades. (AP Photo / Wang Jianmin, Xinhua) less

In this image made off the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, is the Chang'e-3 moon lander, taken by the camera on the 'Yutu' (Jade Rabbit) moon rover, during the mutual-photograph ... more

Photo: Wang Jianmin, AP

In this image made off the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control... Photo-5602142.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 19 of 48

In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2013, a gravestone rests against a tree that homeowner Craig Taylor discovered in his backyard while looking for stones to line his driveway in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Kye R. Lee) less

In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2013, a gravestone rests against a tree that homeowner Craig Taylor discovered in his backyard while looking for stones to line his driveway in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/The ... more

Photo: Kye R. Lee, AP

In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2013, a gravestone rests against a... Photo-5602129.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 20 of 48

In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2013, homeowner Craig Taylor points to the year engraved on a gravestone he found his backyard in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Kye R. Lee)

In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2013, homeowner Craig Taylor points to the year engraved on a gravestone he found his backyard in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Kye R. Lee)

Lt. Jesse Marx of the German Township fire department swims through icy water to rescue Bronx, a German shepherd mix owned by Frank and Linda Redmond, after the dog fell through the ice on a pond in Evansville, Ind., Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. less

Lt. Jesse Marx of the German Township fire department swims through icy water to rescue Bronx, a German shepherd mix owned by Frank and Linda Redmond, after the dog fell through the ice on a pond in Evansville, ... more

Lt. Jesse Marx of the German Township fire department holds tightly to Bronx, a German shepherd mix owned by Frank and Linda Redmond, as members of the German and Perry Township fire departments help pull them to the shore of an icy pond after the dog fell through, in Evansville, Ind., on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. less

Lt. Jesse Marx of the German Township fire department holds tightly to Bronx, a German shepherd mix owned by Frank and Linda Redmond, as members of the German and Perry Township fire departments help pull them ... more

This Oct. 5, 2013 photo provided by the University of South Carolina A.C. Moore Herbarium shows a patch of itchgrass, a noxious tropical weed, along U.S. 52 just north of Moncks Corner, S.C. It is the first time icthgrass, which can aggressively colonize fields and pastures, has been located in South Carolina. The state is now one of nine where the tropical pest has been found. less

This Oct. 5, 2013 photo provided by the University of South Carolina A.C. Moore Herbarium shows a patch of itchgrass, a noxious tropical weed, along U.S. 52 just north of Moncks Corner, S.C. It is the first ... more

Photo: AP

This Oct. 5, 2013 photo provided by the University of South... Photo-5602124.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 24 of 48

Mt. Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, spews lava during an eruption near the Sicilian town of Catania, Italy, early Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013.

Mt. Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, spews lava during an eruption near the Sicilian town of Catania, Italy, early Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013.

A woman swims in the pool at the David Citadel Hotel during a snowstorm in Jerusalem Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. A snowstorm of rare intensity blanketed the Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank on Friday, choking off the city and stranding hundreds in vehicles on impassable roads. less

A woman swims in the pool at the David Citadel Hotel during a snowstorm in Jerusalem Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. A snowstorm of rare intensity blanketed the Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank on ... more

Photo: Brian Snyder, AP

A woman swims in the pool at the David Citadel Hotel during a... Photo-5602126.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 26 of 48

Indian gay rights activists shout slogans during a protest after the country's top court ruled that a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality will remain in effect in India in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013. The Supreme Court threw out a 2009 New Delhi High Court decision that struck down the law as unconstitutional, dealing a blow to gay activists who have argued for years for the chance to live openly in India's deeply conservative society. Lawyers and supporters of gays, lesbians and transsexuals vowed to continue pressing for the removal of the law, which they say encourages discrimination, even if it is rarely invoked by prosecutors. less

Indian gay rights activists shout slogans during a protest after the country's top court ruled that a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality will remain in effect in India in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, ... more

In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013 white lion cubs sleep in a room at Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia. Four white lion cubs were born at the Tbilisi Zoo on Tuesday and according to Zoo the newly-born cubs are healthy and feel fine. They are placed in a separate warm room and are under constant supervision. less

In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013 white lion cubs sleep in a room at Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia. Four white lion cubs were born at the Tbilisi Zoo on Tuesday and according to Zoo the newly-born cubs are ... more

In this Dec. 23, 1980 file photo, actor Peter O'Toole smokes during an interview at his London home. O'Toole, the charismatic actor who achieved instant stardom as Lawrence of Arabia and was nominated eight times for an Academy Award, has died. He was 81. O'Toole's agent Steve Kenis says the actor died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013 at a hospital following a long illness. less

In this Dec. 23, 1980 file photo, actor Peter O'Toole smokes during an interview at his London home. O'Toole, the charismatic actor who achieved instant stardom as Lawrence of Arabia and was nominated eight ... more

In this March 23, 2003 file photo, Peter O'Toole appears backstage without his Oscar after receiving the Academy Award's Honorary Award during the 75th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. O'Toole, the charismatic actor who achieved instant stardom as Lawrence of Arabia and was nominated eight times for an Academy Award, has died. He was 81. O'Toole's agent Steve Kenis says the actor died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013 at a hospital following a long illness. less

In this March 23, 2003 file photo, Peter O'Toole appears backstage without his Oscar after receiving the Academy Award's Honorary Award during the 75th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. O'Toole, the ... more

In this Feb. 16, 2012 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks past his uncle Jang Song Thaek, left, after reviewing a parade of thousands of soldiers and commemorating the 70th birthday of the late Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korean state media say Kim Jong Un's uncle has been executed, calling the leader's former mentor "worse than a dog." The announcement on Thursday evening, Dec. 12, 2013, comes days after Pyongyang announced that Jang Song Thaek had been removed from all his posts because of allegations of corruption, drug use, gambling, womanizing and generally leading a "dissolute and depraved life." (AP Photo/Kyodo News, File) less

In this Feb. 16, 2012 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks past his uncle Jang Song Thaek, left, after reviewing a parade of thousands of soldiers and commemorating the 70th birthday of the late ... more

In this Dec. 6, 2013 file photo, police officers lead Elyett Barbour from District Justice Benjamin Apfelbaum's office in Sunbury, Pa. Barbour, 22, and his wife 18-year-old Miranda Barbour of Selinsgrove are scheduled to appear separately at preliminary hearings Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 at the Northumberland County Courthouse. They are charged with murdering 42-year-old Troy LaFerrara. less

In this Dec. 6, 2013 file photo, police officers lead Elyett Barbour from District Justice Benjamin Apfelbaum's office in Sunbury, Pa. Barbour, 22, and his wife 18-year-old Miranda Barbour of Selinsgrove are ... more

A leading Shiite Muslim cleric widely followed by Iraqi militants has issued the first public religious edict permitting Shiites to fight in Syria's civil war alongside President Bashar Assad's forces. In this Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 file photo, a Shiite fighter clashes with
members of the Sunni-dominated Free Syrian Army rebel in the town of
Hatita, in the countryside of Damascus, Syria. less

A leading Shiite Muslim cleric widely followed by Iraqi militants has issued the first public religious edict permitting Shiites to fight in Syria's civil war alongside President Bashar Assad's forces. In this ... more

Photo: Jaber Al-Helo, AP

A leading Shiite Muslim cleric widely followed by Iraqi militants... Photo-5602123.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 34 of 48

This combination of file photos provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Aug. 22, 2013, shows David Allen Brutsche, left, and Devon Campbell Newman, who were arrested in Las Vegas. A Nevada judge on Monday, Dec. 9, 2013 cited the lesser charges remaining and reduced bail for the couple accused during their high-profile arrests last summer of conspiring to kidnap police officers to draw attention to an anti-government sovereign citizen philosophy. less

This combination of file photos provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Aug. 22, 2013, shows David Allen Brutsche, left, and Devon Campbell Newman, who were arrested in Las Vegas. A Nevada ... more

Photo: AP

This combination of file photos provided by the Las Vegas... Photo-5602113.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 35 of 48

The hearse carrying the remains of former South African President Nelson Mandela proceeds to Mandela's hometown and burial site in Qunu, South Africa, Saturday Dec. 14, 2013. The iconic leader will be buried on Sunday close to his house. less

The hearse carrying the remains of former South African President Nelson Mandela proceeds to Mandela's hometown and burial site in Qunu, South Africa, Saturday Dec. 14, 2013. The iconic leader will be buried on ... more

Photo: Akmal Rajput, AP

The hearse carrying the remains of former South African President... Photo-5602114.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 36 of 48

Hundreds of students watch naked fraternity members from the country's premier state University of the Philippines, Diliman, in their annual festivities Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 at their campus at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. The annual "Oblation Run" evolved into a protest to draw the attention of the government with this year's theme of calling on the government to unite to fight corruption and to deal swiftly in times of calamities and natural disasters. less

Hundreds of students watch naked fraternity members from the country's premier state University of the Philippines, Diliman, in their annual festivities Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 at their campus at suburban Quezon ... more

Photo: Bullit Marquez, AP

Hundreds of students watch naked fraternity members from the... Photo-5602115.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 37 of 48

Giant Panda four-month-old twin cubs Mei Lun, left, and Mei Huan play in their habitat at Zoo Atlanta Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, in Atlanta. DNA testing has confirmed that three young giant pandas born at Atlanta's zoo that were thought to be males are actually females. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jason Getz) less

Giant Panda four-month-old twin cubs Mei Lun, left, and Mei Huan play in their habitat at Zoo Atlanta Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, in Atlanta. DNA testing has confirmed that three young giant pandas born at Atlanta's ... more

Activists gather in support of the legalization of marijuana outside the Congress building, as senators vote on a law to legalize the drug, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. Uruguay's Senate gave final congressional approval Tuesday to create the world's first national marketplace for legal marijuana, an audacious experiment that will have the government oversee production, sales and consumption of a drug illegal almost everywhere else. less

Activists gather in support of the legalization of marijuana outside the Congress building, as senators vote on a law to legalize the drug, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. Uruguay's Senate gave ... more

Photo: Matilde Campodonico, AP

Activists gather in support of the legalization of marijuana... Photo-5602109.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 39 of 48

Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally along a main street towards Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. About 200,000 anti-government demonstrators converged on the central square of Ukraine's capital Sunday, a dramatic demonstration that the opposition's morale remains strong after nearly four weeks of daily protests. less

Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally along a main street towards Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. About 200,000 anti-government demonstrators converged on the central ... more

Photo: Sergei Grits, AP

Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally along a main... Photo-5602110.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 40 of 48

An animal rights activist holds a dead cat body during a street performance in downtown Madrid, to protest unnecessary cruelty to animals in Spain on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. The animals displayed at the demonstration were discarded by animals farms and collected from waste bins. Writing on t-shirt reads in Spanish "Animal Equality". less

An animal rights activist holds a dead cat body during a street performance in downtown Madrid, to protest unnecessary cruelty to animals in Spain on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. The animals displayed at the ... more

This Wednesday Sept. 5, 2012 image provided by NASA and made with a fisheye lens shows NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, bottom, during the mission's third session of extravehicular activity. On Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, one of two identical cooling loops shut down when the line got too cold because of a faulty valve. The system uses ammonia to dissipate heat from on-board equipment. Mission Control ordered the six-man crew to turn off some science experiments and other non-critical equipment; the powerdown continued Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. less

This Wednesday Sept. 5, 2012 image provided by NASA and made with a fisheye lens shows NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, bottom, during the mission's third session of extravehicular activity. On Wednesday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This Wednesday Sept. 5, 2012 image provided by NASA and made with a... Photo-5602112.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 42 of 48

This undated image provided by the University of Miami via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jelly known as a sea walnut. A new study published online Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in the journal Science says comb jellies, a group of gelatinous marine animals, represent the oldest branch of the animal family tree.

This undated image provided by the University of Miami via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jelly known as a sea walnut. A new study published online Thursday, ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This undated image provided by the University of Miami via the... Photo-5602108.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 43 of 48

This undated image provided by Brown University via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jelly known as a sea walnut. A new study published online Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in the journal Science says comb jellies, a group of gelatinous marine animals, represent the oldest branch of the animal family tree.

This undated image provided by Brown University via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jelly known as a sea walnut. A new study published online Thursday, Dec. 12, ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This undated image provided by Brown University via the journal... Photo-5602107.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 44 of 48

This undated image provided by the Sars International Center for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Norway via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jelly known as a sea walnut. A new study published online Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013 in the journal Science says comb jellies, a group of gelatinous marine animals, represent the oldest branch of the animal family tree.

This undated image provided by the Sars International Center for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Norway via the journal Science in December 2013 shows a Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb ... more

Photo: Uncredited, AP

This undated image provided by the Sars International Center for... Photo-5602105.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 45 of 48

Jose Serrano, center, Ecuador's Minister of Justice and the Interior arrives at a prison after at least 56 inmates escaped from a provisional detention center in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday Dec. 15, 2013. According to police and the Justice Ministry a group of inmates took advantage of the family visiting hours to escape. less

Jose Serrano, center, Ecuador's Minister of Justice and the Interior arrives at a prison after at least 56 inmates escaped from a provisional detention center in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday Dec. 15, 2013. According ... more

An inmate is taken away for medical attention after he was rearrested when at least 56 inmates escaped from a provisional detention center in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday Dec. 15, 2013. According to police and the Justice Ministry a group of inmates took advantage of the family visiting hours to escape. less

An inmate is taken away for medical attention after he was rearrested when at least 56 inmates escaped from a provisional detention center in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday Dec. 15, 2013. According to police and the ... more

Photo: Ana María Buitrón, AP

An inmate is taken away for medical attention after he was... Photo-5602936.76152 - seattlepi.com

Image 47 of 48

Pro-European Union activists cook meals during a rally in the Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. About 200,000 anti-government demonstrators converged on the central square of Ukraine's capital Sunday, a dramatic demonstration that the opposition's morale remains strong after nearly four weeks of daily protests. less

Pro-European Union activists cook meals during a rally in the Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. About 200,000 anti-government demonstrators converged on the central square of Ukraine's ... more